Water wheel



March 10, 1931. V 5, TAYLOR 1,796,065

WATER WHEEL Filed Dec. 51. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l $3313 I I I March 10, 1931. 5, TAYLOR 1,796,065

WATER WHEEL Filed Dec. 31. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

March 10, 1931. s. H. TAYLOR 1,795,065

WATER WHEEL Filed Dec. 31. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 PATENT orricrz STEPHEN H. TAYLOR, OF LUDLOW, KENTUCKY .WATER WHEEL Application filed December 31, 1929. Serial No 417,790.

This invention aims to provide a Water wheel which will be efficient and simple in operation, the construction being such that the wheel will not get out of order, novel "'5 means being supplied for mounting the wheel and its shaft for rotation.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility ofdevices of that sort to which the 10 present invention 'appertains'.

With the above and other objects in view, which will apl'ie'a'r as the description'proceeds, the invention resides in the combinationand arrangement of parts and in the 15 details of construction hereinafter described and claimed; it being understood thatchanges may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the inventioiii In the accompanying drawings: v Figure 1 shows in vertical longitudinal section, a device constructed-in accordance with the inventio'n,.parts being in elevation;

25 Figure 2 is across section on the line"2-2 "of Figure 1'; .7 i i p I Figure Sis a fr'aginenta'l side" elevation;

, igure at is a section taken through the water wheel andattendant parts; 7

' Figure 5 is an elevation showing'the water 7 wheel, parts being-brokenaway; I

' Figure 6 is a sectional view showing one of the pivots. I

The numeral 1 indicates the floor of a vertical shaft through which water can flow downwardly from a flame or other source of supplyf The floor 1' has an opening 2. The

7 floor 1 is supportedion a channel beam 3. A frame 4 rests on the floor 1 The frame 4 is composite strncture,

' v The frame 4'- com'p'ri'ses abot'tfoin plate 5. Securing elements 6-conn'ect the bottom plate 5-withthe floor1 and with tliebeainil. The framei teoniprises a top" plate r The top plate 7 has a neck 82 Y Theneck ear the; wp plate 7' is supplied [with a Circumferential shoulder 91 Theneck -8 has a chamber 11. Thereis' a corfc'a'ved recess 10 in the lower: surface cf the top '5 new 7.

The neck 8 has an opening 12 that communicates with the recess 10 and with the chamber 11. Securing devices 14 connect the top plate 7 with the bottom plate Tubular spacers 15 are mounted on the securing 'de vices 14, between the top plate 7 and the bottom plate 5.

A pedestal 16 is secured at 17 to the neck 8 of the top plate 7. In the lower end of the pedestal 16 there is a chamber 18. The chamber 18 in the pedestal 16 communicates with the chamber 11 in the neck 8 of the top plate 7. There a, conical passage 19 in the pedestal 16. The lower end of the passage 19 communicates with the chamber 18.

The pedestal 16 has a cylindrical bore 20, provided with an enlargement 21 defining a shoulder 22. The bore communicates at its lower end with the conical passage 19. The bore 20 communicates at its upper end with a compartment 23 in the pedestal 16.

The pedestal 16 has a lateral opening 24 which communicates with the compartment H A closure 25 for the opening 24- is provided. The closure 25 is held on the pedestal 16 by securing elements 26. The pedestal 16 is provided with a cylindrical bore 27. The lower endof the bore 27 in communication with the compartment 23. The upper end of the bore 27 is in communication with a conica'l passage 28 in the upper end of the pedestal 16.

A conical bear-ing'29'is mounted in the passage 28. The conical bearing 29 has external longitudinal slots 30. Retainers 31, such as screws, are threaded into the pedestal l6 transversely thereolf. The inner ends oithe retainers 3 1' are received in the-slots 30. Tl'i'e retainers 31 keepthe hearing- 2 9-iron1rotat ing they do'not however, prewent' the bearing 29'f-ro1i1 sli'ding'lengtliwise in the passage 28.

. The bearing 29 is shoved'down and seated water tight in the pedestal 1'6- By compression springs 32. The upper end of the spring 32 engages an abutment plate 34:. The abutmerit" plate" can slide vertically on studs mounted at tlieiir'lewe'i ends iii' thepe'destal lti.

Nuts" sear-e threaded on" the studs 35. The

micsee are ns'ed to adjust the pesition' of the abutment plate 34 and the compressivepffort I of thcspring 32.

jsasre 19. J

Alconical bearing 37 is mounted in the pas-j W he bearing 37 has external longl-y tudinal slots 38. Retainers 39, such as screws,

7 are tbreaded'into the pedestal 16. Theinner ends of the retainers '39 are received in the slots 38 off the bearing 37. V

The retainers 39 hold the bearing 87 agamst rotation, but do not prevent the bearing from moving longitudinally.

' The bearing 37 is shoved upwardly and seated in the passage 19 by ac-ompression spring 40. The lower end of the compression spring 40 isengagedan abutmentplate 41. The abutment plate 41 slides :on studs'42 mounted in the pedestal 16.; Nuts :43 are threaded on the studs 42. Q The nuts .43 engage the abutment plate 41., to regulate the posi tion of the abutment plate and to ad ust the.

co1i1pr cssi\'e effort of the spring 40. p

The lower end of the bearing 37, the abuts 'i'n'en't plate-41, the spring40, the studs 42, and the imtsl l-Ij arev located inthe cooperating chambers 18 and 11.

' A hall'race 44 is mounted in theenlargement 21 of the boreand rests on the shoulder,22. I Balls 45- are located inthe ball race 44.. a The numeral 46 marks a collar that turns within the circle definedby the balls 45. The collar 46 has adislr47 that overlaps'the ball race :44 and holdsth'e balls 45 in place in the ball race. 7

the" abutment. plate;

S'The counts is secured a ls s sense 49.

iThe shaft 49 is ournaled in the bearing 29 and extends upwardly through the spring 32 and v 34, the shaft extending downwardly, and being journaled in o the bearing 37, I The shaft 49 extends through the spring and the plate 4 1 and 'islprolonged down wardly through the; openin g 12' in the top late'l ofthe frame Y The spring 40 cooperate with entering -46. Thej lower end of the 'shaft 49 is maintainedin proper position by 'a'bearing mechanismwhich will now be described.

A. baseplate: 50 rests on'the' beam' 3. A

sleeve '51 is supported on thejbase' plate 50.

The. sleeve51 has a tapered or conical passage 52. In the upper surface of the base plate 50, there is a seat 54. Balls 55 are mounted in the seat 54. The shaft49 has' aflreduced lower end 576 defining a shoulder 57; "The'shoulder dinal Islets 59L} Retainers 160, preferably I screws, are mounted in the sleeve 51,-;trans V versely; thereofs l'l he .innefendsbi'; the re 57 rests on the balls 55. .The reduced end 5 6 of the shaft 49 turnswithin the circle formed by the balls 5 :1

1 l= Aconical bearing 58is mounted inthe passage 52;. The bearing 58 has external longituouter ends'of the'connections 72 are connected as wheel..:

tainers are received in the slots 59 of the bearing 58. The retainers 60 prevent the bearing 58 from rotating, but do not prevent it from moving downwardly. V The bearing 58 is forced downwardly toa seat in the passage 52 by a strong compression spring 61. The upper end otthespringfil is engaged with an abutmentplate 62. The abutment plate 62 slides for adjustment on studs 63,. the lower ends ofiwhich are mounted in the upper end of thessleeve 51. .Nuts64 are threaded on the studs 63, to adjustthe position of the abutment plate 62, and the compressive effort of the spring 61.- l The shaft 49 is journaled in thebearing 58. 5A water wheel is securedto the shaft 49, and is constructed asfollows V f 1 a The watcrwheel comprises a cylindrical l1ub'65. 'A cap"66 rests on the hub 65. The cap 66 has a fiat bottom, and has a convexed upper surface that lits closelybut rotatably in the recess 6 of the topplate 7.. The cap 66 and the hub are secured to the shaft 49by a key 67. Thefhub 65 isprovided withran opening 68 receiving the sleeve51 and attendant parts. The hubl65 carries external; circumferenti-ally inclined blades I i A means is provided for admitting water in Y a predetermined quantity. upon the blades 69, and this 'meansiwill nowbe described. Vertical gates 70 are located around thewaterwheell The "gates 70 have stub shafts'il at their upper and lower ends. The/stub shafts .71 turn. in the top plate?" and in the bottom plate 5 of-the; frame 4. 7 Connections 72 are mounted inthe gates 70. The connections ;7-2 are held in adjusted. positions by imts Q73 threaded on f the connections and located on'feach side of each gate-70. The

by joints 74 with theilower ends of levers 75. .The levers 75.-swing in vertical planes and are fulcrumedlonfbrackets 76 which are socured to the top plate 70fthe'fra1ne 4.. The upper] ends of the levers are pivotally con- 61 nected with links 7 7. V The links 77 can swing horizontally. The inner ends of the links 7 7 are pivotally connected at 7 9rwith arotor 80. TherotorSQ is 'journaled on theneck 8 of the top plate 7, and is supported onthe shoulder 9. Any suitable, means may. be provided for turning the rotor 80 for adjustment. If desired, the rotor 80.1nay have a lateral arm .81, a link 82 being pivotedat 83 to the arm.

In; practical operation, the rotor .80 is turned f'throu'gh the -instrun1entality; of 1 the armo Sl and,therlink:82. "The links 77- tilt the levers 7 5, and the adjustable connections 7 2 swing the gates 7 O onthe stub shafts 71, so asto open the gates more or less: at the will of. anoperato'r, and to admitja governed amount of water on theblades Q9 of. the

r The water, having erertedj'its force on the lblades passes downwardly throughthe I opening 2 in the floor 1 of the shaft, it being understood that the water moves downwardly in a vertical shaft (not shown) whereof the floor 1 constitutes a part.

V hat is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a

frame comprising a top plate having a'con- I caved recess, a water wheel including a convexed cap shaped to fit in the recess, a hub Whereon the cap rests, circumferentially inclined blades carried by the hub, a shaft extending through the cap and into the hub, means for securing the shaft to the cap and to the hub, and shaft, the hub having in its lower end an opening wherein the thrust bearing is received.

2. In a device of'the class described, a frame, a \vater wheel Within the frame, a shaft carrying the water Wheel and extended out of the frame, pivotally mounted gates arranged in the frame, about the water Wheel,

' connections mounted in the gates, means for iii adjusting the connections in the direction of their length and transversely of the gates, substantially vertical levers fulcrumed intermediate their ends on the frame, oints forming an operative union between the lower ends of thelevers and the connections, a member mounted to. rotate for adjustment about a vertical axis on the frame, and substantially horizontal links pivoted at their inner ends to the rotary member, and at their outer ends to the upper ends of the levers.

"In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

STEPHEN H. TAYLOR.

a thrust bearing supporting the 

